History

Hailing from Chicago and Melbourne, Australia respectively, Kevin Pariso and Joel Witenberg together make up the Brooklyn duo, Surf Rock is Dead. Embodying the beachiness of their namesake's genre through a new wave filter, the band have spent the last two years crafting an infectious brand of dream-pop in the vein of Diiv, Day Wave, and Beach Fossils.

“The phrase ‘we have no friends’ is a running joke and half-truth between the band.” Says Pariso about the namesake of the EP. “When we formed the project we would spend late weekend nights jamming and writing music instead of spending it out with friends. Putting time into a creative project definitely can hamper your social life but the idea is that the fruit it bears will be worth the sacrifices.”

Those sacrifices paid off when the band went to record, using music as a way to escape the day-to-day grind and hot NYC summers. Ultimately, the duo was able to build off each other from similar shared experiences to turn song and lyric ideas into the anthemic dream-pop of the five-song EP.

‘We Have No Friends?’ will be released October 6th on both vinyl, and digital formats. Vinyl versions include their debut 'SRiD' EP on the b-side.

Upon arriving in Syracuse after growing up in Brussels, Belgium as an American expat, Lorenzo Gillis Cook was introduced to the fast paced, lo-fi sound of the American house show scene. Though he had been making music for years under the name Spark Alaska and a multitude of high school bands, the franticness and earnest expression being put on display in these upstate basements and attics was infectious.

In late 2014, Cook brought the first Petite League demo of friend and drummer Henry Schoonmaker, and the rest is history. Since then, the two have recorded two albums (Slugger and No Hitter), garnered press from Pitchfork, the Fader, Noisey, etc. , co-founded the notable Syracuse DIY venue Scarier Dome, and now reside in Ridgewood, Queens post-graduation.

This bring us to present day, and the band’s the third record, Rips One Into the Night. Blending the sweet, bubblegum qualities of bedroom pop and the snot nosed fuzz of garage rock, Rips One Into the Night is Petite League fully-formed. Coming in at 10 tracks, Rips One Into the Night will be released on September 1st by The Native Sound and the band’s own Scarier Dome label.

In the corner of his small bedroom in Somerville, Massachusetts, Luke Reed of Bent Shapes and Mini Dresses spends most nights quietly writing and recording solo material ranging from quiet and deliberate meditations, to summery jangle pop. Over the years, Luke has amassed a prolific collection of lonely and disenchanted pop songs, seldom released.

"I Don't Care About Anything But You" is the first in a series of singles The Native Sound will be releasing this year.

Earlier this year, The Native Sound re-released Luke Reed’s debut LP ‘Won’t Be There’. Initially self-released on Bandcamp last summer with no promotion, or even album art, 'Won't Be There' is a set of 16 lo-fi indie rock songs.

In the corner of his small bedroom in Somerville, Massachusetts, Luke Reed of Bent Shapes and Mini Dresses spends most nights quietly writing and recording solo material ranging from quiet and deliberate meditations, to summery jangle pop. Over the years, Luke has amassed a prolific collection of lonely and disenchanted pop songs, seldom released.

On March 24th, The Native Sound will be re-releasing Luke Reed’s debut LP ‘Won’t Be There’. Quietly self-released on Bandcamp last summer with no promotion, or even album art, 'Won't Be There' is a set of 16 lo-fi indie rock songs. The first 13 were including on the original album, while the final three (“Just Want To Hold You”, “Sarah”, “Your Face”) are new additions.

Since their formation just a couple of years ago, Salt Lake City’s No Sun have been quietly crafting loud, confident, and modern shoegaze. Originally a solo project for singer/ guitarist Jordon Strang to experiment with, No Sun has since grown into a nuanced and voluminous four piece.

In the tradition of Swervedriver and Failure, and contemporaries like Nothing and Pity Sex, No Sun’s recently released, debut album ‘If Only’ swells with walls of reverb and texture. It’s shoegaze for those who can appreciate the loudest and dreamiest aspects of the genre. Lyrically, the album leans mostly toward introspection and existential doubt, and Jordon's coping with depression, anxiety, and love.

Just a few weeks since the release of 'If Only', No Sun are releasing a cover of the classic Dead Kennedys song, "Nazi Punks Fuck Off". Guitarist/ vocalist Jordon Strang says, "America has shown its very disgusting underbelly over the past few months, and I'm sure it will only get worse. Going to shows, and thel DIY community in general should be a place where everyone else feels safe, except for those that live to make others feel unsafe for something as simple as the color of their skin, their gender identity, or their sexual orientation. We covered this song to let everyone know that we think that Nazism and bigotry is not welcome and will not be tolerated within our fanbase or at any of our shows.”

A year and a half since the release of their debut album, and two member changes later, Sheer are back.

With their new EP Psychic Quarry, Sheer embrace a change that finds the band at their most relaxed and inspired. While their debut LP Uneasy introduced the band as one with a kinship for dreamy, reverb-induced soundscapes, Psychic Quarry is a much more catchy, and indie rock-informed affair.

The six songs on Psychic Quarry cover a lot of ground – feelings of anxiety and depression, the vulnerability of intimacy, and even the post-election shock many of found ourselves coping with.

Psychic Quarry will be released April 28th on vinyl, as well as digitally.

Funeral Advantage have been mostly hermetic since the release of 'Body Is Dead', the band’s 2015 debut album. With the exception of some sporadic touring through the US and Canada, Tyler Kershaw (Funeral Advantage’s sole member) has kept to himself, writing and recording what would be the next chapter of Funeral Advantage – a new EP entitled ‘Please Help Me’.

If 'Body Is Dead' came from a place of hope, 'Please Help Me' comes from a place of desolation and confusion. Written during the disintegration of a long term relationship, the record works through the existential feelings of hopelessness and meaninglessness that followed.

While the lyrical content is much darker on this release, musically ’Please Help Me’ picks up where ‘Body Is Dead’ left off – irresistibly bright, and melodic dream-pop. ‘Please Help Me’ will be released on February 24th on limited edition vinyl and cassette tape, as well as digitally.

Back in 2010, Pennsylvania native and DIY mainstay, Koji released his first recordings on Run For Cover Records. A collection of 10 live songs recorded in living rooms, basements, and punk houses across the East Coast, Spring Song, Vol. 1 is a document of Koji's early years. Touring alone in his parents mini-van with nothing but an acoustic guitar, Koji built a following among DIY and activist communities, in public spaces, VFW Halls, and American Legions around the country.

Pressed on vinyl for the first time ever, the record is strictly limited to a one-time pressing of 300 copies spread over two variants – half translucent green / black, limited to 100 copies, and a solid translucent green, limited to 200 copies.

Since their formation just a couple of years ago, Salt Lake City’s No Sun have been quietly crafting loud, confident, and modern shoegaze. Originally a solo project for singer/ guitarist Jordon Strang to experiment with, No Sun has since grown into a nuanced and voluminous four piece.

In the tradition of Swervedriver and Failure, and contemporaries like Nothing and Pity Sex, No Sun’s debut album ‘If Only’ swells with walls of reverb and texture. It’s shoegaze for those who can appreciate the loudest and dreamiest aspects of the genre. Lyrically, the album leans mostly toward introspection and existential doubt, and Jordon's coping with depression, anxiety, and love.

‘If Only’ will be released on January 20th on limited edition vinyl, as well as digitally. With a full slate of national touring in the works, and a history of playing alongside bands as diverse as True Widow, Foxing, and Creepoid, 2017 will prove to be a year filled with new music and touring for a young, yet quickly growing band.

Based in Glasgow, FVNERALS are a band that exist on the fringes of doom, post-rock, shoegaze and dark ambience. In the tradition of Earth, and contemporaries such as True Widow and King Woman, FVNERALS meticulously meld soundscapes both ethereal and oppressive.

Formed in 2013 in the south coast town of Brighton, FVNERALS have since released two EPs (‘The Hours’ and ‘The Path’) and their highly moving, and haunting debut LP ‘The Light’. After touring the UK and Europe and relocating to Glasgow, the band regrouped early this year to record their second album, ‘Wounds’. While it is certainly a progression from their debut album, ‘Wounds’ perfects the crushing doom of their previous work. More than ever, bassist/ vocalist Tiffany Strom’s voice is on full display as it evokes a unique poignancy that drives the band through seven emotionally devastating tracks.

‘Wounds’ will be released on October 14th by The Native Sound (USA) and Golden Antenna Records (EU).

Plastic Flowers is a Dream Pop band from London, UK, formed in late 2011 by multi-instrumentalist George Samaras. He has recorded two full length studio albums Evergreen (2014) and Heavenly (2016).

BBC described his music as "very ethereal soundscapes accompanied by warm vocals" while DIY Magazine labelled him as a "Greek wunderkind musician." After a prolonged period of writing and experimentation, his second full length album entitled "Heavenly" was released in April, and is now quickly followed up with the new single "Falling Off".

Pressed on made-to-order hand-numbered square 7” lathes, “Falling Off” will be on sale for a one week period. At the end of that week we will press the exact amount ordered, and that’s it. No repressing ever. This is your only chance to ever own this 7”, so if you want it, order by October 5th. All orders should ship about two weeks later.

Based in Chicago with roots in Latin America, Divino Niño is a band known for their dreamy, psych-inspired pop. On their sophomore LP The Shady Sexyfornia Tapes, the Chicago band experimented with washed out reverb, dynamic vocal ranges, and lush soundscapes to create a truly unique 16 track album.

Now, they follow that LP with their new single "Don't Let it Die", a cover of Hurricane Smith's 1971 song. Originally written for John Lennon, Smith who engineered all of the Beatles' EMI studio recordings until 1965 decided to take the song for himself.

Mixing jangly guitars, dreamy synths and drowned out vocals, Dear Tracks are the Grand Rapids, MI dream-pop band of Matt Messore, and Victoria Ovenden. In the vein of dream-pop favorites such as Beach Fossils, Diiv, and Real Estate, Dear Tracks blend sunny and upbeat instrumentals with catchy melodies and washed out reverb. ‘Aligning With The Sun’ follows their ‘Soft Dreams’ EP released earlier this year on Track & Field and Furious Hooves Records. The single reflects the shimmery and synth-based direction the band is going on their forthcoming debut album and builds on the groundwork laid out by their past releases.

“Aligning With The Sun” marks the seventh entry in our Private Press series. Pressed on made-to-order hand-numbered square 7” lathes, “Aligning With The Sun” was on sale for a one week period.

Following an EP and LP, "Memory Bed" was largely written and recorded using one microphone, a laptop and an acoustic guitar during a Summer spent working in Zamora, Spain. While traveling, Bates found himself returning to the dark sounds from around his home for inspiration--music of the Pacific Northwest such as Grouper, Mount Eerie, Velvet Cacoon, and Unwound. Organs and synths ooze from crackling guitars, noise groans in the distance and swallows voices; the sound mirrors the feeling of wandering unfamiliar landscapes, both outside and internally. Drowse also co-wrote two songs on Miserable's "Uncontrollable" LP ("Stay Cold" and "Salt Water").

"Memory Bed" plays with themes of detachment and memory and their relationship to the "self" from the perspective of someone who has suffered dissociative experiences. Heavily influenced by writers like Roland Barthes and Sarah Manguso, drowse works with ideas of “the self as text”, “making the personal public” and allowing space for the paradox to create new meaning. Maya Stoner of Portland band Sabonis lends her voice to every song and contributes lyrics to “Memory”. Her lyrics reflect on experiences with Bates; these lyrics are refracted in the song “Break”. “i” continues to explore the topic with the intent of all drowse recordings: to glimpse the unknowable self, to express the inexpressible through sound.

Part shoegaze, part 90s-alternative and grunge, Sheer are a Simi Valley (LA Area) band, primarily occupying a reverb-induced space suggestive of Galaxie 500 and The Jesus And Mary Chain. Their debut LP “Uneasy” was released this past November and included features in Stereogum, Noisey, BrooklynVegan, etc.

While Uneasy introduced the band as one with a kinship for catchy, pop-informed melodies, on Room their focus relies most heavily on building evocative and emotive soundscapes.

“Room” also marks the first entry in our Private Press series. Pressed on made-to-order hand-numbered square 7” lathes, “Room” was only on sale for a one week period.

Based in Oakland, O.C.D. are a band that bends genres. Fusing elements of bossa nova and latin jazz with indie rock, and an all encompassing spirit of DIY punk, the five piece is in the midst of releasing their debut EP, titled “Growth”. Over the course of six tracks the band rips through songs of love, failed relationships, and the shedding of skin. Aptly titled, “Growth” is an EP about change. Growing into something different from what you thought you would, or were expected to. It’s a curious place for a band to start, but one that feels right for O.C.D. “Growth” will be released July 22 on limited edition cassette tapes and digital formats.

Simultaneously straddling the line between being completely nostalgic and futurist sounding, Planning For Burial is the product of a single wunderkind taking healthy obsessions with certain influences and filtering them through a droning, gloomy spyglass that evokes only the most concrete blues (the emotion not the music) this side of the gray waters of the Atlantic. While Planning For Burial gets lumped in with the whole wave of “bedroom recording artists” (which is where the project toiled for years until Leaving finally was released), the mastermind behind the project sets himself apart from his peers due in no small part to his background in sound. Planning For Burial’s brand of dark shoegaze/gloomgaze is hard to categorize, but it’s sound contains elements of slowcore, shoegaze, doom, drone, 90′s alt rock, 80′s goth, and black metal, while never being defined by any one of those genres.

"As A Lover" also marked the fifth entry into our Private Press series. Pressed on made-to-order hand-numbered square 7” lathes, “As A Lover” was only on sale for a one week period.

It’s been a long road to Vow’s debut album. After two EPs released in quick succession, Vow slowed down and took nearly a year and a half to write what would become their debut full-length LP. Without any real direction in mind, but with the mindset of leaving the synths and drum machines behind, Vow set out to reshape their sound. The songs they would begin demoing were their most energetic yet, and more than anything, raw.

Resembling indie rock more than the synth-pop of their former life, Andrew and Julia recruited their close friend, sometimes collaborator, and Touché Amoré guitarist Nick Steinhardt as a permanent addition to the band. ‘Kind Eyes’ is the result of this new evolution of Vow.

Based in Chicago with roots in Latin America, Divino Niño is a band known for their dreamy, psych-inspired pop. On their sophomore LP The Shady Sexyfornia Tapes, the Chicago band experiments with washed out reverb, dynamic vocal ranges, and lush soundscapes to create a truly unique 16 track album.

Following their debut LP Pool Jealousy, The Shady Sexyfornia Tapes is much more relaxed effort. The band recorded it at home, and although most songs hover around two and a half minutes, they’re far from underdeveloped. Filled with rich harmonies and liberal use of eclectic percussion, the songs on this record reflect the band’s most confident and inspired to date.

Kristina Esfandiari is Miserable. Based in the Bay Area and the vocalist in King Woman, Kristina writes and performs a brand of moving and evocative music that oozes with nostalgia – and the forthcoming Uncontrollable LP is no different.

Succeeding a string of EPs (Halloween Dream and Dog Days), Uncontrollable follows as Kristina's most complete and nuanced work. Written and recorded over the course of a year, this debut LP is consequentially the most emotional, and quite frankly, saddest release in her history as an artist. Wrestling with insecurities, grief, and the lingering feeling of lack of control, Uncontrollable compiles nine songs drenched with feeling.

Plastic Flowers is a Dream Pop band from London, UK, formed in late 2011 by multi-instrumentalist George Samaras. He has recorded two full length studio albums Evergreen (2014) and Heavenly (2016).

After graduating from high school he experimented with drone sounds and worked closely with other musicians, including former band member Angelos Paschalidis. During his college years in Thessaloniki he begun recording under the name Plastic Flowers and quickly released a series of EP's and singles that received praise for their lo-fi feeling and warmth. The hazy atmosphere created with the heavy use of soft guitars and multilayered synth patterns are some of the main characteristics of Plastic Flowers' sound.

BBC described his music as "very ethereal soundscapes accompanied by warm vocals" while DIY Magazine labelled him as a "Greek wunderkind musician." After a prolonged period of writing and experimentation, his second full length album entitled "Heavenly" will be released April 22nd, 2016 through The Native Sound. Recordings took place between October and December 2015 in North West London.

Based in California’s San Fernando Valley, Grave School is the result of five friends writing catchy pop-rock with a hint of twee. In the vain of Sports, Diet Cig, and All Dogs, Grave School blend the ultra personal with gritty pop. Featuring Sheer vocalist/ guitarist Gina Almaguer, former ACxDC guitarist Aldo Felix, Marisa Shirar, Daniel Castro, and Gilbert Guzman, Grave School are the latest band to join The Native Sound.

"Eugene, OR" also marks the fourth entry in our Private Press series. Pressed on made-to-order hand-numbered square 7” lathes, “Eugene, OR” was only on sale for a one week period.

Coming off the heels of January’s four-song Temporary EP, Jimmy Hewitt (Lost Film's sole permanent member) is joined by his touring band for this one-off single. Recorded over three hours at Converse’s Rubber Tracks studio in Jimmy's hometown of Boston, the song reflects on the nostalgia of seldom returning home.

“Silver Keys” exists at the intersection of last summer’s Imago LP, and the most recent Temporary EP. While not as bombastic as the former, or nuanced as the latter, “Silver Keys” is melodic in the subdued tradition of Yo La Tengo or even Death Cab for Cutie. It continues to build on the on-going growth of the band since Jimmy released his first demo under the moniker in 2014.

“Silver Keys” also marks the third entry in our Private Press series. Pressed on made-to-order hand-numbered square 7” lathes, “Silver Keys” was on sale for a one week period.

For nearly ten years, Koji has been a stalwart in the DIY scene. Throughout all these years, if one thing is true about Koji, it’s that he’s stayed true – to his DIY roots, ethics, and most of all, convictions.

Fast forward to today’s political climate, where the Republican Presidential candidates are fighting tooth and nail to outdo each other in making the most controversial and headline-grabbing statement no matter who they may offend. And through the fog of racism and xenophobia, Koji is still here as he ever was. On his new single “Keeping Count”, Koji takes aim at the most boisterous and egotistical of candidates, Donald Trump. A protest song in the tradition of Pete Seeger, “Keeping Count” is in Koji’s own words, “a pop meditation on empathy and compassion, about a figure like Trump questioning his reality, one built on status, material, money, and leverage.”

“Keeping Count” also marks the second entry in our Private Press series. Pressed on made-to-order hand-numbered square 7” lathes, “Keeping Count” was only on sale for a one week period.

It’s been a long road to Vow’s debut album. After two EPs released in quick succession, Vow slowed down and took nearly a year and a half to write what would become their debut full-length LP. Without any real direction in mind, but with the mindset of leaving the synths and drum machines behind, Vow set out to reshape their sound. The songs they would begin demoing were their most energetic yet, and more than anything, raw.

Resembling indie rock more than the synth-pop of their former life, Andrew and Julia recruited their close friend, sometimes collaborator, and Touché Amoré guitarist Nick Steinhardt as a permanent addition to the band. “Withdraw” is the first single from Vow upcoming debut album (out this Spring), and a very balanced representation of where the band arrived in with the new direction.

“Withdraw” also marks the first entry in our Private Press series. Pressed on made-to-order hand-numbered square 7” lathes, “Withdraw” was only on sale for a one week period.

Formed in the south coast of England near the start of 2013, and now based in Glasgow, Scotland, FVNERALS are a three piece melodic gloom band. Redolent of our very own King Woman, and stalwarts such as True Widow and Chelsea Wolfe, FVNERALS have developed a sound that fuses the dreamy and reverb-soaked tones of shoegaze with drone and doom. Always haunting and ethereal, the band is known for building absolutely gorgeous and emotive soundscapes led by Tiffany’s layers of harmonizing vocals.

Currently in the writing and demoing stage of what will become their sophomore LP, The Native Sound is proud to be FVNERALS’ home in the United States, and celebrate that announcement with the release of their 2014 debut album The Light on limited edition cassette tapes for the very first time.

Coming off the heels of this past summer’s Imago LP, we are pleased to announce Lost Film’s new EP, Temporary. Led by Jimmy Hewitt, the band’s sole permanent member, Lost Film is the minimalist – and in this iteration – lo-fi guitar pop project that followed Hewitt’s now defunct band, Orca Orca.

Unlike the lush, full-band recordings of Imago, the Temporary EP brings Jimmy back to the place he feels most comfortable as an artist, and put simply, where it all began – isolated, and alone at the microphone.

Melodic and often times dreamy, the instrumentation takes a much more tepid approach to the guitar-based indie pop Jimmy has developed as Lost Film. For one, it’s a lot less "pop" in the bombastic and hook-laden way you would routinely expect, but instead explores a more nuanced and introspective approach to writing that is still very obviously informed by, and at it’s core, pop music.

Known for his disorienting and experimental noise movements, James Meuleners returns for his sixth release as Mother Room in under two years. On Split James builds upon the nomadic undercurrents of his past work, and injects it with a newfound level of aggression, and conversely atmosphere. Joining him is James Rogers, drummer of Creative Adult and label head at Broke Hatrè, but appearing on this recording as Teal. Following on the heels of his full-length debut, Flowers Will Lay Upon Me, Teal contrasts Mother Room with the guitar-driven, but equally noisy "The Morning", parts one and two.

Part shoegaze, part 90s-alternative and grunge, Uneasy is the debut album and inaugural release from Simi Valley’s Sheer. Formed in the summer of 2014, quickly becoming a staple in the greater LA scene, Sheer channel an earnestness redolent to that of mid-90s emo and indie rock, while primarily occupying a reverb-induced space suggestive of Galaxie 500 and The Jesus And Mary Chain.

While Uneasy introduces the band as one with a kinship for catchy, pop-informed melodies, their focus relies most heavily on building evocative and emotive soundscapes.

On November 6th, New Manners will release their long-awaited sophomore EP, Give Me Your Bones. A six song collection that builds on the uptempo pop they’ve spent the last two years perfecting, Give Me Your Bones is the kind of indie rock labored over by kids who came up listening to Death Cab For Cutie and The Smiths. Equal parts The Photo Album and Strangeways, Here We Come, Give Me Your Bones fuse the melodic melancholy of the former, and the acute lyricism of the latter.

Born in the LA suburbs of Pomona, California as a solo endeavor for vocalist/ guitarist Nick Camacho to explore the struggles his close friends were experiencing through song, New Manners has grown into a five piece since the 2013 release of his Self Titled EP.